On Friday, Smith was remembered by classmates at Beavercreek High School as a caring friend who always had a smile for everyone.
“I just can’t believe that she could be gone,” said Michaelia Wells, a fellow junior.
“Every time I saw her she always had a smile on her face. She was always in a good mood,” said Kaylei Lowe. A candlelight memorial was held in Smith’s honor at Beavercreek Church of the Nazarene Friday evening.
About 200 friends and church members gathered to pray, sing and share their memories at the church where Smith was active in the youth ministry.
The stage was decorated with dozens of candles and poster-sized photos of Smith from a 2010 mission trip to an orphanage in Africa.
A slide-show of Smith posing with friends drew a mixture of tears and laughter. In many photos she made silly faces and goofed with her peers.
Prayers were also said for the other teens injured in the crash.
Beavercreek City Schools Superindendent Nick Verhoff said students were informed of the accident and Smith’s death over the high school’s public address system Friday morning. Counselors were available to talk with students and Verhoff said they will be available for several weeks to come.
“It’s a very tragic day for our school district,” he said. “Alexis was a wonderful, very energetic and outgoing girl.”
Authorities said around 9 p.m. Thursday, the driver of the Pontiac, 17-year-old Chelsea Miller of Dayton, was traveling north on South Main Street when she failed to yield to the right of way after leaving a stop sign at the intersection with Ohio 73.
The Pontiac was struck by a 2001 Chevrolet Blazer driven by Kaleb Shannon, 20, of Waynesville. Shannon was not injured.
Lt. Mike Sanders of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said he doesn’t expect any charges against Shannon unless it is determined he was speeding.
Sanders said any possible charges against Miller are pending as the crash remains under investigation.
Miller, also a student at Beavercreek High School, is listed in serious condition at Kettering Medical Center.
Two rear passengers in the Pontiac — Ricky Kemp, 19, of Franklin and Ricky Dixon, 18, of Springboro — remain at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton. Kemp is in serious condition after being ejected through the rear window. Dixon, who was trapped in the car, is in critical condition.
Kemp attended the Warren County Career Center, and Dixon graduated from the center in 2011.
The Warren County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy Friday and the cause of death for Smith is multiple blunt force traumas.
Funeral arrangements for Smith are pending.
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